When passed on a climb, who among us can honestly say they haven’t been reduced to telling themselves that it was only because the other cyclist was on a better bike? Alas, that coping mechanism wasn’t available to two athletes overtaken by a farmer during their ongoing attempt to set the fastest time to cycle the length of South America.
Axel Carrion and Andreas Fabricius are in the process of riding 11,000km to raise money for the Pompiers Sans Frontieres (firemen without borders) charity.
The two will follow the Colombian Caribbean coast, the Colombian and Ecuadorean Andes cordillera, the Peruvian coastline, the Atacama desert in Chile and the pampas in Argentina, hopefully reaching Tierra Del Fuego inside 58 days.
While recently pedalling up a climb in Antioquia in Colombia, they were passed by this guy, who despite his less-than-cutting-edge bike seemed profoundly untroubled by the gradient.
“Andreas is getting ridiculed right now,” says Carrion, who is filming. “We are in pain here,” he adds.
Now, you might argue that Carrion and Fabricius might be feeling a little fatigued as a result of their endeavours. However, they set off on December 29 and bumped into ‘Luis’ on December 30.
Plus, it sounds as if their rival has been putting a few miles in himself. The text accompanying the video reads: “We passed by Luis on our way to Dabeiba, he is riding 100 kilometers with 2000 meters climbing every day on that bike. This guy is strong !”
According to Fusion, Luis has since been promised a new bike by a local TV station. We’ve no idea why as he seems perfectly comfortable with the one he’s got.
You can follow the progress of Carrion and Fabricius via the Biking Man website.
The incident also brings to mind a 2013 video in which a Belgian postman took on Philippe Gilbert on a climb – but only after they swapped bikes.
Isn't that standard operating procedure for one Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, too?
But last month the borough’s mayor Andy Preston indicated that he has now withdrawn his support for the planned extension of the cycleway, which he...
Yes .. that and I was watching the cat, who had one of her claws stuck in the curtain at the time....
I'm sure its coincidence that I really did have to go the doctor's after developing 'trigger thumb'... ...
I really can't help but feel that the tribalisation of road use is a really bad thing, and will lead to more deaths and injuries on the part of...
Fair enough, its not exactly as if I would want to go around like a cycling billboard but if it's a nice kit, and you support the team, why not...
Rim brakes fade, as many an inexperienced coast to coast rider will tell you. rims also can overheat, leading to exploding tyres, tyre failure etc....
I suspect that in principle, yes, but the LGO can only make recommendations, the courts have the force of law (though I think the only sanction is...
Right?!!? Like what's even the point of reviewing bikes like this any more. Honestly I see a aero hyper bike and might take a mild interest in what...
I ride on 9 speed Sora brifters that I had bought used 10 years ago. Very rarely I will fall on drops where the thumb trigger is indeed not very...